343. Books That Will Change Your Brain

Welcome to episode 343 of the Brainy Business Understanding the Psychology of why People Buy. Today's episode is about the books that will change the way you think. Ready? Let's get started.

You are listening to the Brainy Business Podcast where we dig into the psychology of why people buy and help you incorporate behavioral economics into your business, making it more brain friendly. Now, here's your host, Melina Palmer.

Hello. Hello everyone. My name is Melina Palmer and I want to welcome you to the Brainy Business Podcast. If you listen to the show a lot or have read any of my books or we're connected on social media or you've been to one of my talks, you know that I read a lot of books. It's one of the best things about doing this show, to be honest. It gets me access to amazing and thoughtful people doing great work more often than not when they have a book coming out. I have the privilege of reading a lot of books even before they come out, which is super cool. And as the show has gained popularity over the years, I've been able to connect with a more diverse group of authors and be exposed to books that may be directly applicable to behavioral science and behavioral economics, even if they aren't directly written by those in the field. I hope you're going to get excited about all the books I talk about in today's episode, and while you are welcome to take notes if that's your thing thing, I've also made it super easy for you and included links to everything in the show notes for this episode, including links back to related episodes of the podcast, talking about each of these books with those authors in more depth, as well as links to get the books themselves, a timestamp summary of the episode, and more. It's all waiting for you within the app you're listening to and@the brainybusiness.com 343. As I've said already, I read a lot of books and I'm looking forward to doing a lot more lists like this on the show. This is the second one so far and I've also linked to an article I wrote on my LinkedIn newsletter called Brainy Bites that featured all the books shared on the show in 2022. And yes, I am planning to do those moving forward, so keep an eye out for a 2023 book list. I was inspired to do this episode today because I've read several books lately that made me stop and say whoa. And have impacted the way I think about my own brain and the brains of others and really changed the way I approach everything. I have such an appreciation for authors and think every book can teach us something. In my opinion, there's value in any book you pick up. It may be an interesting writing style or a funny story or a lesson in something you would do differently in your own content. Being inspired by the idea of changing our brains and books that influenced and forever changed the way I think about thinking, I went back through the full back catalog of books I've recommended and authors I've interviewed on the show. Yes, there is a very big spreadsheet to determine which other books have done this for me over the years, and some are books that came out in 2023. Another I read nearly a decade ago. I tried to put myself back into the mindset of who I was before each book and how it changed me to determine if it was a fit for this list. As I said, I think every book changes us in some way or another. They all have a lesson to teach. But the books on this list, which I'm going to go through with you here in a moment, changed the way I think about thinking and my understanding of how the mind really works. I haven't included any books that were on my original book list of Go to Brainy books that had a podcast episode that's linked for you in the show notes, though arguably many of those changed my thinking as well, but these changed the brain in a different way. So this here what you're about to hear is a brand new list. I haven't recommended anywhere else any of this altogether in this way before. I hope you enjoy it, of course. Let me know which ones you choose to read. If you've read any of them already, please let me know what you thought of them. And of course, if there's something you think belongs on the list, let me know. You can find me on social media as the brainy biz pretty much everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn. All right, with that, let's dive in and talk about the nine books that will change the way you think. The first book on my list you've heard me talk about a lot. It's what I traditionally call my favorite book. And while I've considered much more seriously recently if there are new books that could claim this coveted spot, at the moment of prepping for the episode, I would still say that it gets the honor of that spot. And one reason is it absolutely changed the way I think and understand my brain. That book is a more beautiful question by Warren Berger I had the honor of interviewing Warren on the show many years after he wrote the book and I had first read it. And that episode is of course linked for you in the show notes. And I'm not intending to mention it every time from here on out, but know that all but one of these books I've had the author on the show to discuss it. So there are links in the show notes for everyone, even if I don't say that. And for the one author that I haven't had on the show, the book is still linked for you in the show notes. So there's a lot of good stuff for you. There's a More Beautiful Question was the first time I learned of the concept of combinatorial thinking. In many ways, I think that while it isn't a book about behavioral science, it exposed me to the idea of how our brains make associations and that you can combine unrelated items to make something new because that's what our brains are already doing constantly. That this is really the root of innovation and the best way to access this superpower of the brain is by asking great questions. In the book, Warren breaks it into three different categories of questions, some that help you find your own beautiful question and others that help you answer it. A more beautiful question is a mix of great business case studies from angles you've never heard, with insights about how the brain really works and tips that will help you be more innovative. It really is a great book that I believe changed my thinking so much much. It started me on the path to behavioral economics even though I didn't know it at the time. And if you haven't read this one yet, be sure to add it to your list. Now that you're thinking about questions and how you can look at your life projects and overall business, there is a new layer I want you to consider. It turns out that our brains are wired to make us see binary options when that isn't really the world we live in. We're programmed to find and try to answer either or options so often when in reality there are many choices available. In this next book, which is called Both and Thinking, Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis share about this phenomenon and how it holds us back from accomplishing so many things. You know, from the first book on the list, I was already all in on this understanding of combinatorial thinking and both and Thinking took this to a new level for me. As Wendy and Marianne explain, by embracing the everyday paradoxes of life, you can start to see the both and instead of being stuck in the either or, this can help you better understand behavior and the true options that exist in everything you create. Both and Thinking provides a great insight into the way people tend to think when working on projects or other areas of decision making that you can use to avoid those common mistakes. I think this book is a beautiful complement to a more beautiful question because learning how to ask great and different questions to really use the power of questioning, you're more able to open up your mind to the both. And if your response to a problem is in the either or, asking questions is a great way to get you unstuck One of the biggest things that really struck me in this book, and something Wendy and I talked about a lot when she was on the show, is the realization that we're living in a world of constant everyday paradoxes. Before reading this book, I thought of paradoxes as big giant problems that only came up in significant scientific inquiry. Like I have visions of Doc Brown and Back to the Future talking about paradoxes, which I'm sure shaped this in my mind. But paradoxes can be much more mundane than that and we're dealing with them constantly, whether we realize it or not. Seeing the everyday paradoxes and understanding how you can both and your way through them to better decision making is the value in this book and why I had to put both and Thinking by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis on this list. The next book on our list, number three, is taking things in a very different direction. And while these are in an order per se, it's not in a most important to least important or a countdown or anything like that. It's more as I thought about the logical approach to kind of a what would come first in my mind and how they build on each other. I put them in this order, but they all can be taken in whatever order. If there's something that appeals to you, that's number eight or whatnot. Perfect, you know, jump in wherever it stands out. This is the order I put them in because it made sense to me having read them all and other aspects. But they definitely don't have to go in this order. And it's not like I said first being the best and or countdown to the best or whatnot. They're all amazing. So anyway, this third book is called Evolutionary Ideas and it was written by Sam Tatum. What I really love about this book and what stuck with me is that we can take inspiration from nature to help us solve our everyday human problems, whether it's in the redesign of a building or a business or a creative solution to a project. Sam presents some myths in the book and debunks them. You know, one of them being that big problems need big solutions. As he says, often the answer to a big problem is something simple, and you just need to learn how and where to look for it. He also shares in the book that every problem has already been solved somewhere in nature, and our task is to find it. One example is the bullet train in Japan, which was able to be completed when the engineer was inspired by a kingfisher. And this reminded me of insights from a more beautiful question and combinatorial thinking, specifically for the cheetah prosthetic limb, which was inspired of course by the leg of a cheetah, as well as a strong curved blade and some other items in evolutionary Ideas. Sam gives so many amazing examples of the world around us, many things I'd never heard before mixed in with lots of behavioral science and business tips. Even when I knew the behavioral stuff, it had this new and interesting story or a tidbit about animals or plants that I'd never heard. It's a super fun read, especially if you like National Geographic or Planet Earth or anything like that. And if you do find yourself with a tricky problem that feels unsolvable, it can be comforting to know that this has already been solved somewhere in nature. You can spend a little time looking to find it, which might be the rest your brain needs to solve whatever you're stuck on. And perhaps you could be doing that learning while reading evolutionary ideas to help you find your revolutionary solution based on evolution that can change whatever it is you're working on and definitely change your mindset and your brain as you think about problems in business. Moving along to our next book on the list, this is called Metaphors We Live by and is written by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. A huge shout out to Sarah Thompson for introducing me to cognitive semiotics and the amazing power of metaphors, including this book. Sarah's episode is linked for you in the show notes, and this is the only one where I haven't had either of these authors on the show, but we have had extensive conversation about cognitive semiotics, as I said here, and I've had other episodes about metaphors as well, all again linked for you in the show notes. So if you're wondering why are metaphors important? I mean, you probably first learned about them in elementary school, maybe you focused on them a bit in high school or college, depending on your major, but you probably don't realize how much they impact our lives every single day. Metaphors may feel like colorful ways we help to express ourselves. But research is showing that we don't just use metaphor to embellish conversation, we actually think in metaphor. And get this. As much as every 20th to 25th word is a metaphor that you're using every day. Everyone, Everybody, everywhere, every 25th word, conservatively being a metaphor, it's amazing. We don't realize how often we use metaphors, and it is important to understand this so we can better communicate with anyone. Especially in business. When you're selling or describing how your product works or pitching for more budget, you're probably mixing metaphors constantly. The problem is this creates unnecessary cognitive load that makes it harder for people to make a decision. If you can simplify and align your metaphors, everything becomes easier. Of course, if you don't know what is and isn't a metaphor, remember, every 25th word means there are a lot you're missing. It can be almost impossible to line them all up. This is where Metaphors We Live by comes in. George Lakoff is really the father of this space in cognitive semiotics, how the mind makes meaning. And this book is a great introduction to how he breaks up the metaphors into categories and how they can apply in different areas. It really is fascinating and will change the way you think, talk, act, listen, and so much more. This is an older book now, Originally published in 2003, but it's so, so worth the read and I expect it's gonna start gaining a lot of traction as the field of cognitive semiotics is growing. As I've said on the show, it's my new area of focus and passion. I think it's fascinating and I don't think I'm the only one. So if you want to jump onto what I believe is the next big, big thing, be sure to pick up Metaphors We Live by by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. Our next book is also about semiotics. And technically, there are two books here, so you can sort of choose your own adventure based on the titles of what's most applicable to you. Rachel Laws is the author of Both Using Semiotics in Retail and Using Semiotics in Marketing. The marketing book was the first one and she was on the show to promote the retail when it came out. They're both fantastic. We talked about them both on the show and they will change the way you think about metaphors, signs, symbols, and so much more. I don't have to elaborate too much on the power of metaphors and how our minds are making meaning from symbols. Since I talked about that with the last book. The main thing that Rachel's books do is show real world examples of how she's helped companies to understand and leverage the power of semiotics in their work. My favorite example, which we discussed in depth in her episode, was on the Jam of Death Fruit Spread company that wasn't getting any traction on their new store because, as Rachel discovered when she was brought in to investigate, everything they chose to put into the store was reminiscent of a crypt or a funeral home. The jam jars were shaped like little urns on pedestals. The staff were all black. They had marble floors and thick velvety curtains and brass handles on things. It's so obvious in hindsight, of course, but when you're in the thick of it and making all the decisions in the moment from your perspective and what you think they should mean, you may miss all the other things they could mean, especially when they're brought together. A few of those things on their own would have been fine, but so many of them together made it so. The store was incredibly unappealing to everyone, keeping them from even going in, and if they did, from wanting to stay very long and definitely of wanting to buy jam or not. This book will help you to stop and be thoughtful about the signs and symbols and metaphors in your business so you can determine which are working for you and which may be more of a hindrance. It's such a fun one. Whichever route you choose, using semiotics in marketing or using semiotics in retail. Really great examples there that both will definitely change the way you think. The next book on our list is one of my very favorites and written by someone I've gotten to know over the years. Now he's so kind and such a great human. It's worth supporting his book just for that reason, but thankfully you don't even need that reason because it is such an amazing book. As I said in the lead into the episode, I read a lot about the brain and how humans make decisions, and this book, How Minds change by David McRaney, completely blew my mind. It was one of the first ones in a long time that I was reading and saying, wait, what? And no way. Wait, wait. Like having to go back and do additional research. One of my favorite things about this book is the journey that David takes the reader on. Instead of learning everything and then writing about his newfound expertise from the end, he takes us on the journey with him so we get to learn and build as he does. I think it's a really effective way to teach and something that's so much harder than it seems. And remember what I was saying about how every book has a lesson for you. It might even just be learning how you might approach a book in a different way, like this one, or like I said, Sam Tatum's book looking at nature and how that impacts business. It's really, really fascinating stuff. And so, as David shared with me on the podcast, he said that he used to get questions all the time about how to change people's minds. He has another really great book that's called you are not so Smart. That's the name of his podcast as well. And so people reach out to him. And he said, for years, he said his answer was something like, you know, don't bother, it doesn't work. It's not worth the effort to try to change people's minds. But then as he looked around, he realized that this wasn't always true. And inspired by his own curiosity, he started to dig deeper. For example, why do some people change their minds in incredibly drastic ways, like leaving a cult, when so many others remain stuck? What's the difference? How can we use that insight to encourage better decision making and open mindedness for everyone? In How Minds Change, David takes you on a journey of his own discovery with insights from experts. He also shares about how he joined a team knocking on doors to understand voter polls and so much more. The fundamental insights into how the brain is wired and how we can change our minds as well as those around us and how we perceive and intuit. It's just, it's fascinating and a must read for everyone who wants to be more influential to understand your own brain better and the minds of those around you. Highly recommend How Minds Change by David McRaney. All right, we're 2/3 of the way through the list now, just three more to go. And I knew that I had to follow up David's book with the one that really, I would say, inspired this list. And that book is look by Christian Meshbia. When reading Look, I was constantly reminded of tidbits and insights from How Minds Change. And when I interviewed Christian, I asked him after if he had read the book. And he said he gets asked that all the time because others have seen the similarities as well. And while I say similarities, it's a funny thing because these two books are a hundred percent different. They aren't making the same point and they don't come at anything from the same angles, they don't have any of the same stories, but they are inherently similar at their core. So if you're listening to this and you've already read How Minds Changed and loved it, this is a next great read for you. And I put it in that order because How Minds Change came out a couple years ago. Look just came out a couple of months ago, but of course it would work the same in reverse. It's great for everyone, but these books really do complement each other well. One of the biggest things that resonated with me when reading look was this understanding of how our brains make sense of the world around us. When we think about things, it's common to believe that we see individual items and put the parts together to help shape out the scene. Like we see chairs and a table and plates and would add all that up to say it must be dinner time. But as Christian explains, we don't process that way. As he so eloquently says, the sum determines what counts as a part. We see the whole environment and once it has meaning, it embodies everything around it. There could be a weird blob near a table with food on it, and when we see it in this context, we assume it's a chair. It only counts because it's in the context of dinner, which we intuited first and then determined what parts exist and what to ignore in that moment. Look is about observation and hyper reflection, about really seeing what's going on around us to determine the whys and to start thinking about solutions. In the book he shares examples for nonprofit fundraising, and in our conversation he shares about insights his company gave to Adidas many years ago that completely changed the game for them. Super fascinating stuff. And especially at the beginning of the book, I can almost guarantee you'll have at least half a dozen points where you say what? No way? And then realize now that it's been pointed out that of course it's true. Much like I said, for me, this thing about the sum determining what counts as a part. Really fascinating. Amazing. Love this book and how it's helped me to see the world differently and I hope you have the same experience. Our next book is one that I've referenced and recommended countless times over the years. It's about how we change and shift through identities throughout the day and how that impacts the way we act, think and interact with others. This book is called the Power of Us and it's by Dominic Packer and Jay Van Bavel. As I said, I hope you're seeing the progression as we go through the books on the list, as that was intentional in the order I put them in I chose to have this one come after look because it gives you an ability to think about how you see the world and observe and then to see how you and others change within groups. Going from an outside observer to considering what this means for you and the various identities you take on throughout the day. You can use the skills of hyper reflection that you learn from Christian and have that as a baseline when thinking about identity and our tribal nature for yourself and for others. The power of us changed the way I think because it made me consider just how much we all shift through various identities almost seamlessly, all day long. I'm different when I am a podcaster than I am as a speaker, which is different than I am with a close friend or a stranger or with my husband or as a mom. I'm different when talking to someone else who loves Harry Potter than someone who is also a fan of Kate Spade. I'm different when thinking about my affiliation with my native heritage and than I might be when thinking of myself as a business owner pitching for a new client. We're all constantly changing and this is so important for the way you message. I talk about context constantly, and this is a huge part of it. It's not enough to know that your target market is a mom. What does that mean? Is she a mom right now? Or are you hitting her with the wrong message at the wrong time, or rather the right message at the wrong time? All this nuance matters and makes a huge difference in the effectiveness of your message and whether someone's going to take the action you want them to. And this is also an opportunity to make sure you're asking the right questions and lining up your metaphors and symbols. See what I said about these all building on each other? So good. And just all these different ways, thinking about our brains and those around us. I just love it. All right, so we're almost there. The last of our nine books that have changed the way I think about thinking and the way I think about my brain and the brains of others. And hopefully same for you. Can you believe it? We're almost there. This last book is called Selfless and it's by Brian Lowry and in many ways very similarly to how how minds change and look go together. I feel like this book is a perfect complement to the power of us, which is why I introduced them together. Selfless is all about how ourselves are shaped by those we interact with, and you can see how this builds on the power of us. But as Brian shares, it's more than just our identities. This is A real adjustment in thinking, as it has you considering who you even are without other people. And as Brian explains, what we really are, only who we are because of others. It's a fascinating read that again had me reeling while I was reading in the best possible way. One of my favorite examples, which we did talk about on the show, was this real meta moment where he explains how this works in a situation we've all found ourselves in often. I'm in the exact same moment now, and perhaps that's why it resonated with me so much. He's talking about how I, the reader, and when you read it, you as the reader, shaped the words he wrote many months or years earlier. He was writing the words, thinking of me, what I would like and want to hear, considering my experience then. So even though he hadn't met me and in many cases never would, I had helped to create those words he wrote so long ago. It's a very trippy sort of thought process. But as I said, I'm in that same moment constantly writing this out now, sitting at the Starbucks, I'm thinking about how you might react to these words when you listen to the show. What will resonate, how will it impact you? What isn't worth saying? When would you like a little joke? And when do I need to stay serious? And any of the little jokes I make, I of course question if they are even remotely funny or if you're rolling your eyes at me. This is the moment where we're almost piercing through the veil of time. It's almost like I'm there with you, asking you, interacting with you, even though we're very far apart, perhaps just in distance, but also in time. If I asked you now to let me know how this moment made you feel and what you thought, and to have you think of me sitting here so many moons ago, perhaps on the other side of the world, and know that even though you won't know it for a long time, I'm thinking of you. Would you come back in your moment in time to let me know that you're thinking of me and this moment too? I hope so. And hopefully all these books and their insights, from a more beautiful question to selfless and everything in between, have already started to change your brain and how you think just a bit by hearing my insights on them. Did they? Which ones will you read first? I can't wait to hear about it. Come share it with me on social media. You're going to find me as the brainy biz pretty much everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn and okay, while I'm technically done with the list of our nine books that changed the way, I think I have to have to have to give a little bonus Shout Out Honorable Mention to Happier Hour by Cassie Holmes as we close out the episode, the big thing that stood out for me in this book is about how much discretionary time we need to be at our most happy. Research found that between two and five hours per day is the sweet spot. You'll be less happy if you have less than two or more than five hours of discretionary time each day. Yes, that can be broken up so you don't need a solid five hour block of time. That'd be really hard to come by. And what you do in those moments can be diverse. For some, the ritual of cooking a new recipe is joyful and for others this is a torturous chore and obligation. This could be time alone or reading a book to your kids before bed, time at the gym or even time listening to your favorite podcast or reading a new book. You're welcome for all the happier opportunities in your world. Now this book changed my thinking because it gave me something to target to know that I'll be at my happiest even on the most stressful days. I can find 15 minutes here and there to eke my way up to that two hour minimum or get close to it. And knowing that I got there can actually help me to feel happier because I know I should be. You know, In Cassie's book Happier Hour, she gives lots of little tasks and tidbits to help you find what will make you happier and what's stealing from your happiness so you can build out your happier life. It's a really great read and episode of the podcast, of course, and it felt like the perfect way to end this list as you think about changing your brain and how to take time that I'm guessing is for yourself to be able to be happier overall in the way you you communicate and connect with people and think about yourself. Just felt like the right way to really put a bow on this episode. So as a quick recap, the full list of books that will change the way you think about thinking was a more beautiful Question by Warren Berger both and Thinking by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis Evolutionary Ideas by Sam Tatum Metaphors We Live by by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson Using Semiotics in Marketing and Using Semiotics in Retail by Rachel Laws How Minds Change by David McRaney look by Christian Meshpia the Power of Us by Dominic Packer and Jay Van Bavel, Selfless by Brian Lowry and Happier Hour by Cassie Holmes. Of course, you will find links to all the books and past episodes and the full list waiting for you in the Show Notes for this episode, as well as a full time stamp summary of the episode. There are also links to other articles and book lists I've written for various outlets over the years, including that summary of all the books featured on the podcast in 2022 in my LinkedIn newsletter called Brainy Bites. Yes, I am planning to do more of these, so subscribe to that newsletter to make sure you never miss one. There's a link for that in the Show Notes as well. There's also an article I wrote for shepherd, which is a site all about books that was called the Best Books to have More Influence at work and another I did for Green book called the twelve Behavioral Science Books Every Consumer Insights Professional Must Read. Those are all waiting for you in the Show Notes along with the previous book list episode I've done. They're all in that app you're listening to and atthe brainy business.com 343 and just like that episode 343 on the books that will change the way you think is done. Join me Tuesday for another Brainy episode of the Brainy Business Podcast. It's going to be a lot of fun. You don't want to miss it. Until then, thanks again for listening, listening and learning with me. And remember to be thoughtful.

Thank you for listening to the Brainy Business Podcast. Molina offers virtual strategy sessions, workshops and other services to help businesses be more brain friendly. For more free resources, visit thebrainybusiness.com.